By Jeff Caves
Avis Car Rental: We’re #2 ,We Try Harder.
The ‘18 Broncos, Brett Rypien and Bryan Harsin could use the same slogan. They are all fighting for #2.
Fresno State,on the other hand,went through their schedule like Hertz Rental you could say. After 4 non conference games, they’d beat FCS Idaho by 66, lost on the road by 7 to Minnesota, beat UCLA by 24 and a good Toledo squad by 22. The Mountain West Conference schedule didn’t faze them either. Fresno State squashed quarterback weak MWC teams on the way to the showdown in Boise. Nevada, Wyoming, New Mexico and UNLV managed an average of 4 points per game vs Fresno State. They beat Hawaii by 30. The ‘Dogs lost to Boise State but only had to finish out with beating San Diego State and San Jose to meet back here for the championship. San Diego State blew the showdown by losing to UNLV the week before and came into the game in Fresno with 2 conference losses. Fresno beat a non motivated SDSU. They coulda played freshman and beat San Jose. They cruised into Albertsons stadium for the Bronco rematch.
Boise State grinded their way here.
After the loss to San Diego State and the resurgence of Utah State, Boise State played with their backs against the wall every week and won gritty road games vs Nevada and Air Force, beat a regional rival in BYU, had to defeat a starved Utah State and not fall asleep at New Mexico to get to the title game. They had no wiggle room. They tried harder to get to the championship game. Nobody else in the conference was rooting for Boise State to win back to back MWC tittes. They never do. Fresno State was missing 3 starters from the first game of the season when they lined up last Saturday night, Boise State was down 5. Brett Rypien and Bryan Harsin were chasing the ghosts of Kellen Moore and Chris Petersen and face constant scrutiny. Bulldog fans are just thrilled to HAVE a transfer Qb like McMarion, pedigreed coach like Tedford and be relevant again in football.
Rypien’s place as the #2 Boise State QB of all time is up for debate. He lacks a Fiesta Bowl appearance or win, an undefeated or 1 loss season and has only one MWC title. He was anointed the job as a true freshman and ran off a future NFL draft pick in Qb Ryan Finley. His stats are off the charts but his highs: all time leading MWC passer, beating Oregon in Vegas, MWC Offensive Player of the Year, and winning the MWC are nowhere near his lows. Todd Mcshay said he was one of the best all time preparers. He had too cause he tried harder.
Bryan Harsin could be at the Avis rental counter as well. Is he #2 to Chris Petersen during the FBS era of Boise State football? Dan Hawkins is the other contender. Harsin is almost done with his 5th season at Boise State. The MWC is tougher than the old WAC for sure. He has 1 Fiesta Bowl win, 2 conference championships (with a conference championship game) and has one less win in 5 years as Hawk did. And, he can tie him with a bowl win. That would make Harsin a winner in 4 of 5 bowl games. Harsin also has kept the national reputation of the program going with 2 Top 25 Ap finishes in 4 years and a possible 3rd with a win. He had to follow the Coach Pete Show and nobody should be asked to be the second coming of the Lord.
Hawk never went to a BCS bowl as the rules were much different. Even if the access was like it is now, the 2003-4 teams were not the #1 Group of 5 team and wouldn’t have made it in. But, Hawk won 3 straight WAC titles (24-0) and tied for a 4th. He started the Boise State reputation of being a ranked team by finishing in the Top 16 Ap poll three times. Hawk only won 2 bowl games in 5 years but set up the team with talent that won the first Fiesta Bowl in 2007. It’s close but I am partial to favorites maintaining excellence rather then upstarts blazing new trails. Besides, Hawk had Chris Petersen as his offensive coordinator. Harsin has to try harder!
I doubt the ‘18 Broncos, Rypien or Harsin will ever work for Avis but they could retro a helluva ad campaign.
